Wednesday, 12 August 2009

In the light of the recent concern expressed in the western media and elsewhere about the Hamas 'virtue' campaign in Gaza which has apparently been marked by attempts to impose a particular view of what is considered 'Islamic dress' , the actions of the French authorities provides a useful counterpoint. Perversely in the name of gender equality Sarkozy and his judges have deemed it 'against the republic' and un-French to wear the Islamic version of the bikini. So much for Muslim women's rights.

A Paris swimming pool has refused entry to a young Muslim woman wearing a burqini, a swimsuit that covers most of the body.

The pool ban came as French lawmakers conduct hearings on whether to ban the burqa after President Nicolas Sarkozy said the head-to-toe veil was "not welcome" in secular France.

Officials in the Paris suburb of Emerainville said they let the woman swim in the pool in July wearing the burqini, designed for Muslim women who want to swim without revealing their bodies.

Video report by TheRealNews on Israeli cosmetics firm Ahava and the boycott campaign against them.

After the Israeli attack on Gaza earlier this year, the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Campaign (BDS Movement) escalated all around the world. Now, activists are targeting AHAVA, an Israeli cosmetics company founded by and based in an Israeli settlement in the Occupied West Bank. The AHAVA company, as many others in Israel that are based in the Palestinian Territories or profit from their occupation are owned by the powerful Israel family - the Livnat family. The Real News investigates how the family's dynasty is invested in the economy of the occupation.

The military alliance established with Israel by apartheid-era South Africa lives on it would seem.

(Bloomberg) -- South African prosecutors are considering a request to bring charges against South Africans who took part in Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip earlier this year, the South African Press Association said.

The country’s National Prosecuting Authority is studying an affidavit seeking an investigation into about 70 South Africans who served in the Israeli army during the Gaza hostilities, SAPA said, citing Mthunzi Mhaga, a spokesman for the authority.

He said there was urgency in raising funds for the purchase of the vessel because with winter approaching, the plight of the Palestinians in Gaza would worsen.

He also welcomed Malaysians to volunteer and join the effort since they needed as much participation as possible.

"Of course, there is limitation in terms of the capacity on board.

"But we want to carry building materials as we need to rebuild the houses, because they (Palestinians) are now living in tents and when winter comes, it will be terrible for the old, sick and children. Many of them may die because of the winter," he told reporters at the Perdana Leadership Foundation, here.

Abbas's attempt to bend Fatah conference to his will were largely successful but the undercurrent of opposition shows no signs of weakening. The long delayed vote on the Fatah parliament is finally set to begin today.

Ahmed Nasser, a member of the higher committee of Fatah in Gaza, said he and his 10 colleagues have resigned because the internal elections which brought a new central committee for the movement were "unclear."

"Our votes have gone to other people and some candidates were elected twice," Nasser, who did not get elected, told Xinhua, referring to manipulation.

The elections of the highest decision-making body in Fatah took place Tuesday during Fatah's general convention which began last week in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

Hamas security forces, which control Gaza, prevented some 400 Fatah members of the convention from traveling to Bethlehem. Nasser said Fatah's decision to go ahead with the conference despite the absence of the Gaza-based members affected the Gaza members' right of voting.

Only two new candidates from Gaza were elected to the 18-member central committee. "There are some people who controlled the movement and abducted it," Nasser said, refusing to reveal the names of the Fatah officials he accused.

Some of the Fatah delegates in Gaza were able to vote over the phone or via Email.